Handball! More Information

In a prior post entitled Handball! , we discussed the Laws of the Game around handling the ball.  We recently received an email from our friend Tom Hill, a board member at Issaquah Soccer Club, highlighting the US Soccer Federation's "Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game 2009/2010".  This publication by the USSF’s National Referee Development Program is specifically intended to give USSF referees, assistant referees and fourth officials a reliable compilation of the Interpretation of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees which are provided as part of the Laws of the Game. 

It is not a replacement for the Laws of the Game, nor is it a "how to" book on refereeing: It is an official statement of Federation interpretations of the Laws.

For those interested in learning more about what is (and perhaps more importantly, what is NOT) a 'handball', read on.....

12.9 DELIBERATE HANDLING

The offense known as "handling the ball" involves deliberate contact with the ball by a player's hand or arm (including fingertips, upper arm, or outer shoulder - see diagram below).

"Deliberate contact" means

• that the player could have avoided the touch but chose not to,
• that the player's arms were not in a normal playing position at the time,
• or that the player deliberately continued an initially accidental contact for the purpose of gaining an unfair advantage.

Moving hands or arms instinctively to protect the body when suddenly faced with a fast approaching ball does not constitute deliberate contact unless there is subsequent action to direct the ball once contact is made. Likewise, placing hands or arms to protect the body at a free kick or similar restart is not likely to produce an infringement unless there is subsequent action to direct or control the ball.

The fact that a player may benefit from the ball contacting the hand does not transform the otherwise accidental event into an infringement. A player infringes the Law regarding handling the ball even if direct contact is avoided by holding something in the hand (clothing, shinguard, etc.).

NOTE: In most cases in the Laws of the Game, the words "touch," "play," and "make contact with" mean the same thing. This is not true in the case of deliberate handling, where the touch, play, or contact by the offending player must be planned and deliberate.

12.10 RULE OF THUMB FOR "HANDLING"

The rule of thumb for referees is that it is handling if the player plays the ball, but not handling if the ball plays the player. The referee should punish only deliberate handling of the ball, meaning only those actions when the player (and not the goalkeeper within the ‘keeper’s own penalty area) strikes or propels the ball with the hand or arm (shoulder to tip of fingers).

12.11 USE OF THE SHOULDER

For purposes of determining deliberate handling of the ball, the "hand" is considered to be any part of the arm-hand from fingertip to shoulder. Using the top of the shoulder is not considered as using the hand. (A diagram showing the area of “the hand” is shown below.)